12 August 2005 (RFE/RL) -- The U.S. military has confirmed a Taliban commander has been killed in recent fighting in Afghanistan.

The U.S. military said Qari Amadullah was killed in fighting with Afghan and U.S. forces near the city of Wazikwa in the southeastern province of Paktika.

The statement said Amadullah was believed to have commanded up to 50 fighters in the area and possessed such weapons as rockets and rocket-propelled grenades.

In another statement, the U.S. military said one U.S. soldier was killed on 12 August in a training accident involving explosives in the central province of Uruzgan. One Afghan and two U.S. soldiers were wounded in the incident.